Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:17 am on 14 March 1991.
Francis Maude
The Financial Secretary to the Treasury
4:17,
14 March 1991
My hon. Friend asks a pertinent question. As we have sitting on the front bench a senior member of the Opposition's finance team, we may have some elucidation. We may be able to find out whether the Opposition's Front-Bench team stick as closely to Clause Four of the Labour party's constitution, or whether that is to be brushed aside. If it is to be the latter, the hon. Member for Bradford, South may have something to say about that. The world is waiting, with bated breath, to hear the way that the Labour party is moving. Does it remain committed to nationalisation, to re-nationalisation and the appropriation of the shares for which our citizens have paid money, and in which they have taken an interest? What is the Labour party's position on these matters? We ask the question, but all that we hear is silence.
The first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
